Attention, Nigerian Baptist Convention

SIR: The rumour about the crisis rocking the First Baptist Church, Oke-elerin, Ogbomoso has been making the round for some time before it blew open. One thing about the crisis resolution process of the Baptist Convention is that it is too slow and cumbersome. The process needs to be reviewed to make way for a more pragmatic crisis resolution process. Not being a member of the Church, although a Baptist, I will not like to speculate on the causes of the crisis let alone apportion blame based on hearsay or one sided press release. As a matter of fact, one does not expect the crisis to have been allowed to reach this critical stage in view of the resourceful men and women that abound in that church.

Oke-elerin Baptist Church, probably, the third Baptist church in Nigeria has been a source of pride, role model and example for all Baptist churches in Ogbomoso and beyond, due to relative peace and stability being enjoyed in that church over the years. While her twin church, Ijeru Baptist church witnessed an upheaval, in the late 50s, which dismembered it, Oke-elerin church has been free from such crisis. Today, Ijeru Baptist church’s members could hardly filled half of the pews of the church, ditto for Ori-Oke Baptist church and few others that have experienced crisis at one time or the other. This has retarded the progress of these churches and equally denied them their rightful positions in the convention.

In terms of evangelization, educational efforts, financial commitment to the association, conference and convention, Oke-elerin Baptist church has never been found wanting. Obviously, its contributions to the expansion of the Baptist work in Nigeria are legendary. Consequently, I am appealing to the President of the Convention, Dr. Supo Ayokunle to as a matter of urgency, wade into the crisis because First Baptist church Oke-elerin is too strategic in the Convention to allow it to be dismembered. Convention resolution process which made it mandatory for association and conference to wade in before convention needs to be set aside in this case. A stitch in time saves nine.